1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to vehicle seats for infants and children and more particularly, to a rotating child's seat which is mounted in the front or rear seat backrest of a vehicle. In a preferred embodiment the rotating child's seat is rotatably or pivotally mounted in a bifurcation provided in the rear seat backrest above the rear bench seat of the vehicle. When the rotating child's seat is in use, an infant or child is strapped in the seat portion thereof while the seat portion is oriented forwardly of the backrst and above the bench seat. The seat portion of the rotating child's seat is fitted with conventional shoulder straps and a leg divider strap and in a preferred embodiment is designed to rotate or pivot to a stored and nonfunctional position in the vehicle trunk when not in use. When the rotating child's seat is so positioned in the trunk of the vehicle, a back portion rotates or pivots into alignment with the backrest pads of the backrest to accommodate an additional adult or adults on the back seat of the vehicle. A panel latch and hinged access panel in the trunk divider serve to facilitate rotation or pivoting of the rotating child's seat into functional and stored configuration, respectively.
One of the problems associated with the use of portable seats and similar structures known as "car seats" for carrying infants and children in vehicles, is that of properly supporting and stabilizing the car seats on the front or rear seats of a vehicle. Typically, straps, bars and harness of various description are used to engage the vehicle seats in order to immobilize or at least partially stabilize the car seats such that children can be placed in, transported and removed from the seats at the convenience of the parents with at least some degree of security. A disadvantage found in car seats and carriers of this design is the requirement of periodically tightening the straps or harness to secure the car seats in place and subsequently loosening the straps or harness to remove the seats when it is desired to provide room for one or more additional adults. Furthermore, under circumstances of severe braking or acceleration of the vehicle, the straps and securing harness or bars of the infant seat or carrier sometimes work loose and llow the carrier to fall forward or sideways while the vehicle is in motion, sometimes resulting in injury to the infant or child. This problem is intensified under circumstances where the straps or harness are periodically loosened to remove the carrier from the vehicle. Legislation requiring that children and infants be secured in a properly designed car set has recently been enacted.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of removable or foldable vehicle seats are known in the prior art. Among these is the "Car Seat" disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,337,295, dated Apr. 20, 1920, to C. H. Turner. The Turner car seat is designed to accommodate the motorman or car operator in vehicles such as street cars and the like and is characterized by a pivoting auxiliary seat which is mounted to a conventional vehicle seat and is designed to pivot into functional configuration for driver seating purposes and alternatively, into folded configuration to accommodate a passenger.
Another "Vehicle Seat" is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 461,832, dated Oct. 27, 1891, to G. E. Hatch. The Hatch vehicle seat is a supplemental seat which is arranged and supported over the main seat in a vehicle in such a manner as to leave practically the full seating space of the main seat for use of the persons occupying it. The supplemental seat is supported by a narrow frame, part of which rests on the primary seat and another element of which engages the underside of the primary seat for support purposes. The vehicle seat is designed to fold flat for storage in another location.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,951,450, dated Apr. 20, 1976, to Paul Gambotti, discloses a "Infant Seat For Automotive and Other Vehicles". This seat is designed for an automobile or other vehicle and is mounted in an open recess in the back of a primary vehicle seat. The infant seat is folded and articulated in this recess such that it may be received fully in the recess or alternatively extended from the recess to accommodate a child.
It is an object of this invention to provide a rotating child's seat for installation in vehicles wherein the rotating child's seat is designed to selectively rotate or pivot into a functional configuration above the bench seat of the vehicle and into a nonfunctional configuration either into the trunk, when the child's seat is mounted in the rear seat backrest, or rearwardly of the front seat backrest, when the child's seat is mounted in the front seat backrest.
Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved child's seat for vehicles, which child's seat is rotatably or pivotally mounted in the backrest of either the front or back seat of the vehicle, such that the child's seat can be selectively rotated or pivoted into functional configuration above the bench seat and a child placed therein and securely strapped thereto and the child's seat alternatively rotated or pivoted rearwardly of the backrest into the trunk of the vehicle or rearwardly of the front seat, when not in use.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a rotating child's seat which is rotatably mounted in a bifurcation provided in the backrest of the rear seat of a vehicle, wherein a child can be strapped into the child's seat when the child's seat is located in functional configuration over the bench seat and when the child's seat is not in use, it can be rotated into the trunk and a cooperating contoured back portion of the child's seat rotated into the bifurcation in alignment with the vehicle seat backrest.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a rotating child's seat which is pivotally mounted in a slot or bifurcation provided in the rear backrest of a vehicle seat, which rotating child's seat is provided with a seat portion for accommodating an infant or child and a back portion which corresponds substantially to the curvature of the vehicle seat backrest, wherein the rotating child's seat can be pivoted into functional configuration to carry a child on the seat portion thereof, or into a stored configuration in the trunk, with the contoured back portion provided in alighment with the backrest pad of the seat backrest.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a rotating child's seat for vehicles, which child's seat is rotatably and pivotally mounted in an opening in the rear backrest of a vehicle seat, with a hinged access panel provided in the trunk divider to both stabilize the child's seat and facilitate rotation and pivoting of the child's seat such that the seat portion is oriented into functional configuration above the bench seat and selectively into non-functional configuration in the trunk of the vehicle.